SAN BERNARDINO – The public transit agency serving the San Bernardino Valley is slated to receive more than $20 million in federal economic stimulus funds.

Omnitrans plans to use $9.6 million of its $20.7 million allocation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for preventative maintenance on its fleet of buses, officials said.

“Because of state budget reductions, the stimulus funds that we are applying to preventative maintenance costs are allowing us to maintain current service levels versus cutting back on bus service,” said marketing director Wendy Williams.

Omnitrans expects to spend the following amounts on these other projects using stimulus funds:

$6.8 million for business software;

$1.8 million for a new video surveillance system on buses;

$1.5 million for a new transit center in Yucaipa;

and $1 million for new fare boxes.

The board of directors of San Bernardino Associated Governments, the county’s transportation planning agency, approved the allocation of stimulus funds for Omnitrans last week. Six other area transit and rail operators are also slated to get chunks of stimulus money passed through the county.

Metrolink is in line to receive $7.3 million, most of which will go toward implementing what is known as Positive Train Control, an automated train collision avoidance system.

Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties are also contributing to the $220 million project, which is expected to be installed systemwide on Metrolink by 2012.

Other stimulus funds are to be used to rehabilitate track and signals at various locations in San Bernardino County, as well as for improvements at two train storage facilities in downtown Los Angeles. The four other counties are also putting in money for upgrades at the two yards.

“These are all projects that will create jobs, not only in the region, but in each county in which the dollars are spent,” said Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca.

The rest of the stimulus money is to be divided among the Victor Valley Transit Authority, Morongo Basin Area Transit Authority, Barstow Area Transit, Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority, and Needles Area Transit.